Roll-your-own cigarette machines shut down... for now

Michael Allen Blair/MBlair@News-Herald.comMentor Discount Tobacco and Beverage employees Melanie Busch and Steven kurzinger stand by the stores vacant Roll Your Own tobacco machines which have been shut down by the Federal Government across the country. Mentor Discount Tobacco recently invested heavily in the machines and has been forced to lay off six staff members since the machines were shut down.

Smokers who use what are commonly known as roll-your-own cigarette machines may soon find fewer shops with those machines available.

A Sept. 30 ruling by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau found that shops with these types of machines should legally be considered a manufacturer of cigarettes. As such, they are required to file for a permit and to follow other government regulations.

In the meantime, roll-your-own machines throughout the country are being shut down. One local business was affected when its machines were shut down late last week.

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Cindy Kurzinger, manager of Discount Tobacco and Beverage, on Lake Shore Boulevard in Mentor, said the bureau's decision affected staffing and financial plans for a second shop, slated to open in Willowick by the end of the month.

"(The roll-your-own machine) was going to be a big part of the second store," Kurzinger said.

Despite the bureau's finding, Kurzinger said the business's lawyers advised them on Wednesday that the machines could still legally be turned on despite the ruling. This is welcome news for shop employees.

"We're now looking to hire back everyone we had originally planned to hire," Kurzinger said.

Discount Tobacco and Beverage might seek a manufacturer's permit, depending on how the government responds to the operation of the machines.

Kurzinger said she expects the machines to be turned back on today.

Kurzinger said customers often prefer using roll-your-own machines to buying an already produced carton because doing so offers significant savings.

An Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau study found most stores charge between $16.02 and $25.50 per box of roll-your-own cigarettes.

To compare, Kurzinger said a carton of Marlboros costs about $55.

Tom Hogue, spokesman for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, said the organization has not changed its definition of what constitutes a "manufacturer," but it has recently determined that businesses with roll-your-own machines do fit into that category.

"This is not a change," Hogue said. "We looked at how this activity fits into existing law and if businesses choose to continue to do it, there is a correct way to do so."

Hogue said applications for a manufacturer's permit can be found on the organization's website. He said the length of time it takes to get the application approved depends on how quickly the businesses can prove they meet all requirements.

"Businesses can read all the qualifications in detail on our website," Hogue said.

He said the goal of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is to make sure there is no potential tax liability from the roll-your-own machines.

"We're just trying to let people know what the law is," Hogue said.

"That way they can know what they're getting into and make their own decision."